Post from July, 2010

In mid-June I was privileged to work as an EARS volunteer in Point Pleasant, West Virginia in the service of 49 horses, mules and donkeys. HSUS asked for UAN volunteers to help temporarily shelter these animals as part of an animal cruelty case.

It had been years since I had worked around horses on a daily basis and I had forgotten the primal emotions I always experience when around them. I had always felt a kinship with them that was different from any other species. I was amazed at how quickly I adapted to working with them again, my ‘horse sense’ had lain dormant but returned immediately when working on the Fairgrounds daily.

Temporary sheltering is a very hard and gratifying experience. Many of the workdays stretch into double shifts, and with larger animals there are multiple rounds of feeding, watering and mucking. The days are long and the work physically hard, but most of all, the day to day gratification in seeing these animals improve with proper vet care, dental care, and basics like food and water. Even the most fractious animals start to improve in behavior, temperament and physical condition.

As of July 2, 2010 twenty-one of the horses were transported to Maryland to await adoption to their new homes. I was fortunate enough to see Sara Varsa of HSUS yesterday and she said the horses are doing very well and continuing to improve. Resilience, that is key and the caring and thoughtful consideration of the numerous volunteers and donors that make rescues like this happen.

Horses have been with us throughout the centuries, and continue to work along side us today, in the fields, as police and military , as companion animals, sport, and yet we have people in our society who are capable of such extreme neglect without thought of the service these animals give with their hearts, bodies and minds.